| Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent -> Monitor Keywords |
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Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agentRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Apparatus, Having Intra-oral Dispensing Means, Hand-held Implement With Material SupplyOral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070154863, Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/698,594, filed Jul. 12, 2005 in which the contents are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention is directed to an oral care implement having a reservoir for dispensing an active agent. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Many currently available toothpastes contain auxiliary agents for tooth whitening or other hygienic purposes in addition to tooth cleaning. Although many types of agents can be effectively incorporated into toothpastes, the ability to incorporate auxiliary components into toothpastes is limited by such factors as the compatibility of the components with the toothpaste and possible deleterious effects the components and the toothpaste may have on each other. For example, a reactive component may become neutralized prior to use, or may adversely affect the shelf life, viscosity, taste, or other properties of the toothpaste. [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,126 to Joshi, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a toothbrush having an electrochemical cell for generating an oxidizing gas via an internal electrochemical process. During brushing, a user engages a switch to activate an internal electrochemical cell which generates the oxidizing agent, such as oxygen. The oxidizing gas is exhausted to the bristle portion of the brush for application to the user's oral cavity. Other gaseous products generated in the electrochemical cell, such as hydrogen, are directed away from the bristle portion of the brush. This arrangement has inherent drawbacks. [0005] There remains a need for an improved oral care implement having the ability to deliver beneficial agents using an oral care implement without suffering from drawbacks and limitations known in the art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention is directed to an oral care implement having a reservoir containing at least one active agent. [0007] The oral care implement has a delivery device actuator, such as a switch, for activating a delivery device, such as a pump, which delivers a predetermined amount of a substance, such as an active agent, to one or more outlets, which can be located in the vicinity the tooth cleaning elements, e.g., bristles, and/or other portion(s) of the oral care implement. A wide variety of active agents can be administered at appropriate and accurate doses for therapeutic, hygienic, and/or other benefits, such as fresh breath, tooth whitening, reducing sensitivity of the teeth or producing sensations of heat, cool, or tingling. [0008] The oral care implement advantageously can be manufactured at relatively low cost, is easy to use, and can deliver a predetermined quantity of an active agent upon a user activating a switch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: [0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a toothbrush according to one embodiment of the invention; and [0011] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a replaceable cartridge in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0012] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a toothbrush 1 having a handle 10 and a head 12 containing tooth cleaning elements, such as bristles 16 and/or elastomeric cleaning elements (not shown) or the like. A storage location, such as a reservoir 15, is provided within the handle 10 for storing the active agent. The handle 10 or other exterior portion of the toothbrush 1 preferably contains a delivery device actuator or switch, such as a user-actuated button 22, for activating a delivery device such as pump 18. The pump 18 can be located before or after the reservoir 15. Upon pressing the button 22, the pump 18 causes a predetermined quantity of a medium preferably containing an active agent to be delivered from the reservoir 15 through a channel 19 leading to a plurality of outlets 20. [0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the outlets 20 may be located on the surface of the head 12 between or in the vicinity of the bristles 16. Alternatively, the outlets 20 may be located on other portions of the head 12, handle 10, or elsewhere on the toothbrush 1. Alternatively, the active agent may be delivered through the bristles 16, such as if the bristles comprised hollow lumens or the like. In this arrangement, the tip of the bristles made have at least one aperture for releasing the active agent. Alternatively, the active agent can also be delivered simultaneously through outlets 20 located at different portions of the toothbrush 1, for example to aid in the application of the active agent to different areas of the mouth. Although a plurality of outlets 20 is illustrated, it is contemplated that a single outlet could be used. [0014] The switch for activating the pump 18 may be a button 22, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or may be another type of switch such as a user-activated toggle switch or rotating dial. Depressing the button 22 preferably activates a timing circuit which causes the pump 18 to operate for an interval needed to pump a predetermined amount of the medium containing the active agent from the reservoir 15 and through the outlets 20. The pump is connected to a power source or has a power source, such as a battery (not shown). The timing circuit causes the pump 18 to operate for an interval of time which either may be preset or may be adjustable, e.g., by a user-activated rotating dial, which may vary depending on the active agent and the desired delivery regimen. While an external switch 22 has been described, it will be appreciated that a user-operated, internal switch that activates the delivery device upon the mechanical action of brushing, is also contemplated. [0015] The medium containing the active agent can be incorporated into a sealed reservoir 15 during manufacture of the toothbrush 1, in which case the toothbrush 1 can be disposed of after the supply of the active agent is exhausted. Alternatively, the reservoir 15 can be refillable through an inlet (not shown), or can be replaceable, e.g., by inserting a replaceable cartridge into a recess in the toothbrush or toothbrush handle 10. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a replaceable cartridge 30. The cartridge can have a sharpened element 35 which penetrates a membrane in the recess of the toothbrush to permit the medium to flow from the cartridge 30 into the channel 19. The cartridge 30 can be spring-loaded to stay in place after insertion into the recess, and can have a seal to prevent unwanted leakage of the active agent. The cartridge 30 can be disposable or refillable. Other methods of providing a refillable and/or replaceable cartridge or the like are contemplated. [0016] Optionally, a user-activated switch, such as a dial (not shown), can have multiple settings for selecting one of several active agents. For example, the dial can have a first setting for oxidizer/whitener treatment, a second setting for breath freshener treatment, and a third setting for antimicrobial treatment. The dial setting instructs the timing circuit to activate the pump 18 for a time interval appropriate for the selected active agent. [0017] In one embodiment, a kit comprises a toothbrush and at least one cartridge containing an active agent. A user may select among multiple cartridges for a desired treatment. If the active agents have different intervals of application, the toothbrush can be provided with a dial, as previously described, to enable the user to select the appropriate setting. Similarly, a single cartridge can come pre-loaded with multiple active agents that can be selectively accessed and delivered by a switch or the like. The kit can also include a dentifrice if desired. [0018] The predetermined amount can be suitably selected to deliver an accurate dose of the active for its intended purpose. The amount can be controlled by controlling the duration the pump 18 operates after the button 22 is pressed. The duration of dispensation will depend on the desired dose and the flowrate of the medium, and typically ranges from about 1 second to 5 minutes, often from about 5 seconds to about 2 minutes, and preferably ranges from about 10 seconds to 30 seconds. The timing of the dispensing action can be either right after the button 22 is pressed, or at a delay programmed as desired. Continue reading about Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent... Full patent description for Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Oral care implement having reservior for dispensing active agent patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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